


boyfriend

by bugheadslilbitch



Category: Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017), Riverdale (TV 2017) RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 11:48:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20563817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bugheadslilbitch/pseuds/bugheadslilbitch
Summary: basically betty a jug are fwb's but they have some unresolved feelings, both are dumb and don't want to admit anything, idkidk just read it & you'll figure it out :))also!! when I wrote this I added paragraph spaces and indents and for some reason it hasn't transferred when I put it on here so I apologise.





	1. Chapter 1

It started out as one of those friends, but sometimes with benefits kind of situation. No they weren’t fuck buddies. No they weren’t just netflix and chilling. They were friends. But who were they to try to stop the relentless signs that then should hook up. It was just them dealing with natural urges, that’s all it was. Completely. And although they couldnt exactly pin point the exact moment it became something more for them both, that didn’t change the fact that they weren’t together, and to assume that it was anything more than what it already was, and that perhaps the feelings weren’t unrequited, was stupid. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change the fact that while sitting at opposite sides of a grungy bar in soho, they both caught chasing glances at one another, only to turn away as soon as the other felt the heat of eyes on them.  
“Jughead sure looks comfy over there.” Veronica, dear God shut up. Betty was perfectly aware of how comfortable he seemed with his arm draped around some new blonde without her best friend having to point out the exact thing she had been staring at the entire night. She had seen her at bars around New York occasionally, and she seemed to be somewhat in the same circle as Betty, if attending the same parties and hooking up with guys betty had grown up with were any indication. And of course, how could she blame Jughead. As mad as the closeness of the pair made her feel, Betty had eyes, and she could tell that by all things physical, her and Sabrina were very similar. Blonde hair, although hers was more platinum, bright smile, and a short dress. Obviously there was more to both of them, but even in her slightly inebriated state, Betty was aware that Jughead was attempting to bring some jealousy out of her. And by God was she taking the bait. 

He was aware of what he was doing as well. Seeing Betty steal glances at him and the girl on his arm gave him a weird sense of power. It felt like after all the “we shouldn’t be doing this, you know it’s only physical, right?” hell that he had been through with her, noticing that his basket didn’t only consist of her eggs, and the fact that he could tell she was made jealous by it, made him feel better about himself. Of course he didn’t have a clue who the girl next to him was, he hadn’t even asked for her name, and if not for the waiter that recognized her and called out to her, he wouldn’t have known it, and he certainly wasn’t interested in going somewhere a little more private, or even asking about her major. He didn’t give a shit quite frankly. His new, but knock you off your feet strong feelings for Betty made him care about one thing in this crowded space, and it was her god damn eyes. “I mean, if she was so intent on keeping things casual, with no strings attached, then why oh why is she looking over at me like a jealous girlfriend?” He had no idea, but the thought that his actions were making her jealous excited him, and made him want more. So he leaned over, and whispered to Sabrina, asking if she wanted to dance. She let out a quiet giggle,  
“Sure, lets go”  
Squeezing past some other dudes in their booth, Jughead took Sabrina’s hand, instigating the second piece of physical contact from him to her all night and led her over to the dance floor. Some new trashy pop song was playing, with a heavy bass and strong drum beat, he wasn’t surprised when Sabrina immediately began dancing infront of him, bending over and shaking her legs at one point even. He wasn’t sure that’s what you would call dancing , but alright. When she began grinding against his front after a minute or two of jughead ignoring her to watch betty stare at them in frustration, cheeks heavily flushed and her fist even slightly clenched.

“Oh my gosh, can you believe that?” Veronica spoke loudly, snapping betty out of her rage.  
“What? What am I looking at?”  
“Looks like Jugheads about to get laid for the first time tonight I still don’t believe his “I’m not a virgin” talk, you know. Oh dear and with Sabrina? I mean that’s one way to lose it, and if she is what it takes to make his boat float… then so be it, you know?”  
“He’s no virgin that’s for sure” Betty mumbled, thinking back to all the fun, loving times they had shared in his bed.  
“I’ll be honest, I kinda always thought you two would look cute together. I mean you're like totally out of his league that’s for sure, but, I don’t know, he always seems so soft around you. Whatever, I need another drink.” and with that she stalked off to the bar.  
Betty turned her face and attention back to jughead and Sabrina on the Dance floor. Was it just her, or was the music starting to get louder? The beat seemed even heavier and the vocals even more seductive. But even with her head beginning to pound and her ear being barricaded by shitty music, bettys eyes didn’t stray from jugheads once. His cheeky smile, as he caught her looking at him for the thousandth time tonight, emerged along with a wink at her. He knew what he was doing and it made her more sad that mad now. He was purposely trying to piss her off, but she couldn’t help feeling jealous when sabrina abruptly turned to face him and linked her arms around his shoulders while swaying to the music. Flashes of her and jughead in the same position only earlier that morning began to penetrate her mind, making her feel nauseous. She knew she loved him, and had for a while. Probably since he began to make her breakfast the morning after and brought her coffee every time without needing to ask. Or maybe it was the slow but steady accumulation of her belongings in his apartment, and even though she probably had more clothes at his place than at her own, he still let her wear his t-shirts and sweaters. Even his socks.  
Feeling as though she was going to throw up if she continued this game of staring at him until he winked back at her much longer, she stood up and moved as quickly as she could past them and out into the hall, leading to the toilet. With tears already prickling at her eyes and the knot in the back of her throat tightening, by the time she had reached an empty stall in the bathroom, she was having a full on meltdown.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is short, apologies.
> 
> basically, betty acknowledges her feelings and she has a bit of a meltdown, but makes some new friends. 
> 
> sorry for any mistakes, I am my own editor.
> 
> enjoy!

Her eyes were puffy, nose red, lips swollen from biting back her sobs from getting too loud, and she began to wipe away the tears that had already made their way down her face. Sh heard the bathroom stall door open as a girl knocked gently and spoke up  
“Hey girlie, can we get you anything? Water, advil, a hug? You’ve been here a while and it sounds like you could do with some girlfriends?” Betty turned her head to face the kind smiled girl watching down at her. Her hair was in a bob like style, and she was wearing a lacy white button up and a black leather skirt.   
“Oh… um. Yeah- no- no im- im fine, thank you. im just having a bit of b-boy trouble… you know.” she choked back. She sniffled again as the girls standing behind the door looked over with sympathetic eyes.   
“God. don't we all. Do you want to talk about it, maybe? i t could help, venting out to a friend? I'm sure we’ve all been in your situation.”  
“Um.. “ she sniffled again, wiping fervently at her nose, not wanting to make more of a fool out of herself. “ Sorry, yeah totally. Um, i've been in a sorta fwb relationship with one of the guys im friends with. A while ago it became something more, for me at least. I don’t know about him but i don’t think he feels the same way, you know? I’m pretty sure I'm in love with him but I don’t want to let myself go there without knowing it’s going somewhere or if it’s not. God and the worst part, is that he’s out there, right now, dancing with some chick that fucks around and won’t do him any good. Very.. handsy. I feel like I’m wasting my time, you know?”

“Oh god girl, yes i do. I was in the same kind of thing a while back. He didn’t recuperate but, I only found out by asking him. I had to tell him how I felt or I’d never know, and never move on. I say you go nd tell him how you feel, and if he’s so dumb as to reject a relatonship with a gorgeous being of sex on legs like you, then text me, and i’ll do the honours.” the dark haired girl replied with a chuckle.  
“Yeah , your’e like, fucking goreous, how could he turn you down with those legs, Jesus. I’d kill for stems like those.” a girl in the back called out.  
“Okay, yeah sure. I guess i could tell him how i feel. I’m gonna get rejected real bad but at last i’ll know. Okay. yeah. Okay.” she breathed in and out deeply before standing up. She made her way over to the sink and cringed when she saw herself in the mirror. Trying to salvage some of the make up still left on her face, she realised it was a lost battle. There was black everywhere and lipstick smeared halfway across her cheek. She looked around and figured if she wanted to, she could just use some of the other girls make up, but decided against it. If she couldn’t get him to recuperate her feelings like this, then why should she doll herself up so he would. Besides, he had seen her in worse states, after throwing up, bleeding, hungover. The lot. And quite frankly she couldn’t care less for make up right now. So she wiped the hair from her eyes, adjusted her dress and turned back around.  
“Okay, I’m just gonna do it. I’m gonna find him and tell him and then if he says he doesn’t feel the same, then, I guess, I’ll just tell him I blacked out. Okay cool. Oh let me get your numbers, if this is going to go the way I think it will I’ll be needing to take you up on your offer soon.” she exchanged her number with the girls she had learned the names of that had helped her, midge, josie and toni, and made her way towards the exit of the bathroom.   
She stepped out into the hallway and turned to face the dance floor when a familiar chest collided with her


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this one is short, apologies.
> 
> basically, betty acknowledges her feelings and she has a bit of a meltdown, but makes some new friends. 
> 
> sorry for any mistakes, I am my own editor.
> 
> enjoy!

She stepped back, shocked at Jughead appearance, and checked behind him to see if Sabrina was with him.   
“She’s not with me. If that’s what you're looking for. The girl I was with, yeah she’s still on the dance floor . I’m pretty sure she got bored of me just standing there and went to find someone new. Are you okay?”  
Betty stood there shocked by his presence. This wasn’t her plan, she was supposed to surprised him.  
“Why are here, Jughead?”  
“You didn’t answer my question, Betty.”  
“I’m.. I’m fine”  
“You don’t look it”  
“Gee thanks. Well yeah I don’t look it, I’ve been having a meltdown for the past twenty minutes.”  
“Why? What the hell happened? You looked fine one minute and then you had disappeared. I thought you might’ve found someone to go off with” he ended in a mumble.  
“Why the hell would i go off with someone? I’ve been staring at you the whole night, Jug. the only person I wanted was you.”  
“What? Well shit betts, now i feel like an asshole, being with sabrina all night. But why would you wanna dance with me? Actually , nevermind, i know.  
“What? You know? What do you know? Why- Why would I want to dance with you?” she asked, slightly panicked.  
“Well… um… because, well, i guess it would kind of end in.. um… in the bedroom. You know?”  
Betty stood there, transfixed by what he had just said. Probably without meaning to, Jughead had told betty that all he thought she saw him for was sex. Her lip began to tremble, while the know in her throat began to grow again. Jughead, knowing her inside and out, like the back of his hand, could immediately tell she was upset by what he had just said.  
“Shit… uh. Fuck Betty thats- thats not what I meant. I don’t think of you like that it’s just… well that’s like… what … we are .. right?” he mumbled, nw his cheeks were high with a flush.  
“No… No. you do think of m-me like that. Because, yeah no you’re right. That’s- that’s exactly what we are. A rumble in the sheets, you aren’t my boyfriend, and- and I’m not your.. Girlfriend. No strings, right? I think.. Yeah, I - I think I’m just gonna go.” Yeah im just gonna go get my things and then leave, she thought to herself, while avoiding Jughead eyes. And as much as it pained her to do so, she walked away from the man she was hopelessly in love with.

Shit. I shouldn't have said that, he thought to himself. After seeing betty run out of the heavily crowded room into the bathroom whilst beginning to sob, jughead had begun to panic. Had he gone too far? What the hell was wrong? He went over to the bar to get some water and began to walk over to the bathroom. Not before being grabbed by a young lady in a purple sequin dress and pushed him against the wall.  
“Hey handsome, lets dance” she whispered in his ear, getting as close to his groin as possible. Dear god get off, he thought to himself.  
“Uhh, no thanks, i'm going to meet my girlfriend.” it slipped out accidentally, but it didn't seem to phase her as much as it did him. Girlfriend? Jesus he hadn’t even told her how he felt, and he was already throwing around words like that.   
“She doesn’t have to know, and besides, it’s just dancing. Come on.”  
“Yeah, no. Okay, bye. We’re done here, thanks.” he said and walked away.  
Still holding the glass of water in his hand, he walked over to the hallway leading to the toilets. It was no less crowded in there than in the main room of the club. Only in here, people werent as subtle with their grinding, with a pair jughead was pretty sue were literally fucking down the other end. Luckily he didn’t have to go near them, despite the hall being small. He moved quickly over to the ladies bathroom when the blonde beauty he was looking for walked right out, and crashed into him. She seemed to have been crying, hard. And if jughead knew betty at all, he would also guess that she had almost been sick and been sat next to a toilet since she left. She began talking to him, dodging his questions and giving strange answers when he got her to answer them properly. Still, at least she was alright. At least, he thought so. After she left him thinking over her last answer, he was still stood their in the overcrowded hallway, facing two people fucking, and holding a glass of water. Jesus he didn’t even think to give her the goddamn drink. He had to go after her. But inside a trashy club wasn’t the place to do so, so he decided to go and wait outside the exit, he had his phone and card on him, and he didn’t bring anything else. So he made his way over to the exit and stepped into the warm autumn night. Still, cooler than inside. Some people were smoking near him, breathing out all around him, so not wanting to inhale secondhand smoke, he moved over to the other side of the door. He waited a few minutes, checking his phone for any texts from betty, and messaging his friend whom he had come with, Archie, to let him know that he was leaving and he’d see him tomorrow.   
After waiting for what felt like hours but was really only minutes, for betty to come out, she finally stepped through the doors holding her coat close and wiping her eyes.  
“Hey, hey betty! Can- can we talk? Please? I need to talk to you.” she just stared up at his desperate face, and he hoped she could tell that he was begging.  
“Of- of course, jug. You can always talk to me. But honestly, i- i don’t think now’s the right time, okay? I really just want to get home and into bed, if that's okay.” she said with her eyes looking down, swallowing.  
“Okay. okay, well can you at least let me walk you home? I don’t want you going alone, it’s too dark.” now he was really desperate.  
“Sure.” she replied back, again not looking in his eyes.  
They began they walk to betty’s apartment a few blocks away. And although having never stayed at betty’s because of her roommate also being a mutual friend of theirs, Jughead knew where she lived, and had been over a few times, but never stayed long.   
“So.. are you going to tell me what’s happened to make you so upset, or at least what I can do to help”  
“Why jug? why do you want to help? In fact why are you walking me home, why did you bring me water but not give it to me and why oh my god why did you think that dancing with fucking sabrina wouldnt make me this upset?”  
“Betty, i-”  
“No. jug. I don't.. C-care. Okay? Do you understand what it’s like to think about someone all day and night. To- to go to bed with them on your mind, a- and to wake up with them there again. To daydream about the way they smile while you’re making coffee, and to be so distracted all day by the thought of them that you could sit through a two hour long lecture and not make a single note and have no recollection of the entire class? Jug. I can't go on like this. Whatever this is between u-us. It needs to end. It’s too painful. I physically cannot put myself through it any longer. Okay?”  
“What? What are you talking about betty? You want us to stop? Its too painful? What do you mean, y- you always seem so happy when we’re together? I don’t understand.”  
“No of course i’m happy when i’m with you, jug. How could i not be. Your like the light of my life. The best part of my day, and when i’m with you, i feel like i could float. And that has.. It has.. Nothing to do with the sex. Which by the way, you’re insanely good at. Jug… I need this to end, because I know that my feelings for you have changed from when we first began… this.” jesus christ. Its out. Here we go.  
“What do you mean? How have your feelings changed betts? …. Please” they were now facing each other, and for the first time that night, they were staring at each other's eyes, with no teasing behind them. Betty felt a sense of comfort in his eyes, her second most happiest place, right after waking up with their legs tangled, laying half across him with her head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent. But of course, this time the comfort was then replaced with a feeling of longing, he looked at her like she hung the moon and stars, and she looked at him like if this dint happen the way she hoped it did, her life would be crushed.   
“Jug…. i don’t know how to tell you this, s- so i’m just gonna come right out and say it. But i want you to know that dont want you to say anything back unles you really, really fucking mean ibecause if its anything less than what i hope youll say, i will need to know so that i can go on with my life.”  
“Betts, you know you can tell me anything. I’ll always be there for you, you know that.”  
He stepped closer to her, now their limbs automatically reaching for eachother, eyes still staring at the others, with their soul beared out.  
“Jug… the reason.. it’s too painful for me to be with you.. like this is because.. I- i’m … im in l- love with y- you. I'm in love with you.”  
Jughead stood their, his arms gone limp swayed gently at his sides. A cab driver honked their horn across the street, and some cardboard scraped past on the road.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> final chapter!  
just read it, idk how to explain without giving it away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've edited this and checked it 10 times but I apologise for any mistakes once again.

Jughead didn’t make a sound. He was completely in shock, and to be honest, his mind was going a mile a minute. Basically all of his dreams had come true. The girl he was in love with had stood there and told him point blank she was in love with him. Twice.  
Betty grew more nervous by the second. Her true feelings for jughead were out, and if she was being completely honest, she was pretty sure she was more than just in love with him. Even though she was an english major and knew the words for even some of the wildest sensations, betty couldn’t find a word stronger than love, but she knew in her heart that she definitely more than loved him. And yet he stood there, still in silence, staring at her. Dear god.  
“...jug? Look i know i said that it was okay if you didn’t feel the same way, but im going to need you to give me something here. A yes or a n- no. you know?” she said, growing quickly embarrassed. It seemed that she was more aware of her surroundings now, and found herself staring at jugheads converse, finding the bits of mud on them suddenly quite interesting. she just couldn't bear to look at him.  
If she had continued to stare at him maybe she would have noticed the smile creeping its way onto his lips. It seemed that his thoughts were finally catching up to him. He lifted his hand and at first, betty thought he was about to push her away, he used two fingers to tilt her head up again, facing him.  
"whatever happened to no strings, huh?"  
" what do you mean jug? do you like me or n-"  
he grabbed her hand. okay, not quite the reaction she was hoping for, and dragged her towards his apartment. living close by meant they arrived on his doorstep quickly, while betty was still confused and asking what the hell was going on and why won't he just talk to her.  
"jug, we need to talk. we can't just go up to your room and fuck, this isn't, that's not what I need right now." bughead turned his head around, staring at her eyes and whispered, slightly nervously  
"I know. I don't think what I'm about to say needs to be done in the street, you never know who could be watching."  
Betty eyes widened, oh my god, betty thought to herself. he hates me. this had gone terribly wrong, he doesn't want to tell me he doesn't like me like that in front of everyone. well at least he's saving me some decency I suppose.  
he turned his key in the lock and pushed the door in. he brought her in and stared at her for a few seconds before his hand move up to her hair.  
“Betty.. I … don't really know how.. This is going to work out…. I mean its not like Ron and arch would hate us together and to be honest I don't know why I didn't just ask you out in the first place, but I want you to know that I don't want what we have to be ruined if we do more. but i want you to know how grateful i am to have you in my life, when we first started, i didnt plan on falling, really fucking deeply, in love with you. And i never said anything because I wasn't sure about how you felt but, after tonight, I don't think it would be fair for me to hide what I feel any longer. Because by what you said earlier…. I’m pretty sure.. well..i don’t know, do you?”  
Betty stood there, dumbfounded. He loved her, back. There was nothing holding her back from kissing him right then, so before his doubts could creep in even more, he was cut off by bettys lips crashing on to his. It wasn't an earth shattering kiss, more comfort than excitement. it was like getting into your own bed after being on a camping vacation. it wasn't a foreign place, nor was this kiss particularly special in any physical way, but this time they weren't holding back any passion. His tongue easily swiped past hers and her mouth was accepting in all ways. He began kissing down her neck, gravitating towards her pulse point as she began to moan.  
“Please, jug. The… the bedroom” she choked out in between moans, his hands found comfort on her waist and the small of her back, as hers combed through his dark blue locks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fin.
> 
> thanks so much for reading; kudos, comments are appreciated, please let me know what you liked and what I could do better, I'm open for any constructive criticism.
> 
> ♡♡♡

**Author's Note:**

> I apologise for any mistakes, I am my own editor.


End file.
